Random Post #1

 Bonsai Trees

My introduction to these plants and some background about them

The first time I remember really noticing a bonsai tree was when I was a child watching the original "Karate Kid." I was and still am a big fan of the film, but to my point, bonsai trees make several pretty noticeable cameos throughout the course of the movie. After seeing them there, I was somewhat intrigued by the plants but didn't really know much about them. I obviously knew that they were little trees in pots often kept inside but that was about the extent of my knowledge for many years. I would sometimes see them on social media and in other films but my interest was not truly peaked until I saw a particular post about a bonsai tree being one thousand years old. I looked further on social media jumping from account to account just going down the rabbit hole of Instagram's "for you" page, and next thing I knew I was hooked by these ancient, little plants. This happened about two and half years ago and soon after that I got my first bonsai tree.

(The Oldest Bonsai Tree in the World Named: Ficus retusa Linn)

Before I get into my hands-on experience, I think the history of this art form is pretty interesting as well. While I was learning how to care for my tree, I came across a lot of surprising information about bonsais. For starters, contrary to popular belief the bonsai tree does not originate in Japan. The practice actually started in China hundreds of years before it was brought to Japan by Buddhist monks. In addition to this common misconception, it is sometimes thought that a bonsai tree is specific type of tree which is not the case. While there are certain kinds that are more popular, bonsais can be just about any type of tree you want. The term bonsai simply translates to "planted in a tray." Some of the more common trees used for bonsai are the Japanese Maple, the Dwarf Jade, and the Juniper. Like I mentioned before, some of these plants live to be hundreds of years old and end up being sold for thousands of dollars. The most expensive sale to date was an 800 year old Hiroshima Pine sold for 1.3 million dollars. While some of these older specimens can start to get quite large, they are still considered bonsais if they have been planted in a shallow pot as well as had their branches and roots trimmed properly.

The first bonsai I got myself was not necessarily an intentional purchase. I went to Home Depot for some other reason that I can no longer remember and ended up getting fixated on this little tree in the back corner of the plant section. Because it was the beginning of winter, there weren't very many options to choose from, and it was actually the last bonsai left in stock. In hindsight, it was probably the last one for good reason. The pot was cracked, the shape was weird, and it honestly didn't seem to be in that great of health, but I thought to myself "why not, I've been wanting one." The plant held on all through the spring and part of summer but eventually withered in the hotter months. I take some responsibility as I probably could have been more attentive, but I did learn something very important-- bonsai care is not that easy. For my second plant, which I currently have, I did some extensive research to ensure I would not make the same mistakes. The type of bonsai I have is called an Azalea and it produces flowers in the late spring. So far, I have had my tree for several months and am awaiting spring time when the buds I can see forming on it will bloom for the first time.

(A Mature Azalea Bonsai Tree)